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united kingdom army air corps

british army    

Organisation History:

Originally, the Royal Flying Corps was part of the Army before it was merged with the Royal Naval Air Service in April 1918 to form the Royal Air Force. It was not until nearly forty years later that the Army was to control its own air support again. The Army Air Corps (AAC) was formed on 1 Sep 1957 by the amalgamation of the ex RAF Air Observation Post (AOP) squadrons and the ex RAF Light Liaison Flights, which themselves formed when the glider units from the Second World War were disbanded. The first helicopters entered AAC service to support the ground forces around 1962 in Aden, Malaysia and Kenya with the Alouette II, Scout and Sioux.
The Army Air Corps role is to fly combat missions, provide combat support and combat service support to the UK Field Army and NATO ground forces. Its role has recently been supplemented by the formation of Joint Helicopter Command, which has integrated the RAF troop and vehicle carrying support helicopters under a single command. The AAC is organised into six Regiments (each with two or three Squadrons), one Training Regiment and a number of independent Squadrons and smaller Flights.


Units in this Organisation:

Rotary Wing Aircraft UnitCreatedDisband
    25 flight, army air corps 1968 --
    651 squadron 1941 --
    652 squadron 1942 --
    653 squadron 1942 --
    654 squadron 1942 --
    655 squadron 1942 --
    656 squadron 1942 --
    657 squadron 1943 --
    658 squadron 1943 --
    659 squadron 1943 --
    660 squadron - 660 squadron, defence helicopter flying school
1943 --
    661 squadron 1943 --
    662 squadron 1943 --
    663 squadron 1944 --
    664 squadron 1944 --
    665 squadron 1945 --
    666 squadron - 666 squadron (volunteers)
1945 --
    668 squadron 1944 --
    669 squadron 1945 --
    670 squadron 1945 --
    671 squadron 1945 --
    672 squadron 1944 --


Bases/Heliports of this Organisation:

    Viewing: Current Bases/Heliports | Historical

Base / HeliportUnits of this Base/Heliport
   AAC Dishforth656 squadron 1993/now
672 squadron 1992/now
   AAC Middle Wallop660 squadron
670 squadron 1989/now
   AAC Netheravon658 squadron 1995/now
666 squadron 1986/now
   AAC Wattisham653 squadron 1993/now
654 squadron 1995/now
662 squadron 1993/now
663 squadron 1994/now
   DE Gütersloh652 squadron 1993/now
661 squadron 1993/now
   RAF Aldergrove655 squadron 1991/now
   RAF Odiham657 squadron 2000/now
   RAF Shawbury660 squadron 1997/now

Models in this Organisation:

ModelQtyFrom YearTo Year
    westland longbow apache672001present
    eurocopter as350121997present
    bell 21261995present
    agusta a10941982present
    westland lynx1401977present
    aerospatiale sa342b gazelle ah.12121973present
    westland sioux19319651978
    agusta ab475019641978
    saunders roe saro p.531319611963
    westland scout15019601994
    aerospatiale se3130 alouette ii1719581988
    saunders roe skeeter6719581967


Fleet of this Organisation:

ModelC/NBuiltID     /     History
    se3130 alouette ii11851958XN132: Ex F-WIPG
    se3130 alouette ii11861958XN133: Ex F-WIPH. Became instructional airframe 7702M
    saro p.531s2/53111959XP166: Reworked from P.531-2 to pre-production version of Scout AH.1 as XP166 during 1960. For further information, see under W ...
    se3130 alouette ii14991960XP966:
    se3130 alouette ii15001960XP997:
    se3130 alouette ii15031960XR232: ex F-WIEP. Served with UNFICYP in Cyprus.
    se3130 alouette ii15581961XR376: Delivered as XJ376 in error. Served with UNFICYP in Cyprus until at least 1984.
    se3130 alouette ii15671961XR377: Delivered as XJ377 in error.
    se3130 alouette ii15821961XR378: Ex F-WIEM. Delivered as XJ378 in error. Served with 16 Flt until at least 1984.
    se3130 alouette ii15831961XR379: Ex F-WIEN. Served with 16 Flt until at least 1984.
    se3130 alouette ii1596 1961XR380: Delivered as XJ380 in error. Crashed as a UNFICYP machine when caught its underslung load on its skid and it rolled down ...
    se3130 alouette ii16061961XR381:
    se3130 alouette ii16071961XR382: Served with UNFICYP in Cyprus until at least 1984.
    se3130 alouette ii16211961XR383:
    se3130 alouette ii16441961XR384: Delivered as XJ384 in error.
    se3130 alouette ii16451961XR385: Delivered as XJ385 in error.
    se3130 alouette ii16631961XR386: Served with UNFICYP in Cyprus until at least 1984.
    se3130 alouette ii1664 1961XR387: Crashed 8 May 1969 on take-off in West Germany whilst with 24 Flt, due to cross connection of control rods.
    saro p.531s2/84441961XR436: Reworked from P.531-2 to pre-production version Scout AH.1 at Hayes during 1962. For further information, see under West ...
    saro p.531s2/53121959XR493: Reworked from P.531-2 to pre-production version Scout AH.1 at Hayes during 1960. For further information, see under West ...
wa.116 autogyro w/o Mod.in Orgb.201 1962XR942: Built by Beagle Aircraft at Shoreham. f/f 10 May 1962. w/o while taxiing 12 May 1962. UK Serial subsequently transferred ...
wa.116 autogyro w/o Mod.in Orgb.2021962XR942: Built by Beagle Aircraft at Shoreham. ex G-ARZA. f/f 10 May 1962. Became XR942 after B.201 - to which it was originally ...
wa.116 autogyro w/o Mod.in Orgb.2031962XR943: Built by Beagle Aircraft at Shoreham. f/f 18 Oct 1962. ex G-ARZB. To G-ARZB Dec 1964.
wa.116 autogyro w/o Mod.in Orgb.204 1962XR944: Built by Beagle Aircraft at Shoreham. f/f 18 Oct 1962. Allocated G-ARZC but ntu. To XR944 1962. To G-ASDY Sep 1964.
    a10971440ZE410: ex argentine army AE-334
    a10971380ZE411: ex argentine army AE-331
    212305120ZH814: Under contract from Sep 1994 to AAC. Operates with 7 Flt AAC in Brunei.
    212306680ZH815: Under contract from Sep 1994 to AAC. Operates with 7 Flt AAC in Brunei.
    212305490ZH816: Under contract from Sep 1994 to AAC. Operates with 7 Flt AAC in Brunei.
    longbow apachewah10ZJ166:
    longbow apachewah20ZJ167:
    longbow apachewah30ZJ168:
    longbow apachewah40ZJ169:
    longbow apachewah50ZJ170:
    longbow apachewah60ZJ171:
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    longbow apachewah110ZJ176:
    longbow apachewah120ZJ177:
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    longbow apachewah190ZJ184:
    longbow apachewah200ZJ185:
    longbow apachewah210ZJ186:
    longbow apachewah220ZJ187:
    longbow apachewah230ZJ188: CURRENTLY HELD AT WESTLAND,S YEOVIL BASE
    longbow apachewah240ZJ189:
    longbow apachewah250ZJ190:
    longbow apachewah260ZJ191:
    longbow apachewah270ZJ192:
    longbow apachewah280ZJ193:
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    longbow apachewah600ZJ226:
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    longbow apachewah620ZJ228:
    longbow apachewah630ZJ229:
    longbow apachewah640ZJ230:
    longbow apachewah650ZJ231:
    longbow apachewah660ZJ232:
    longbow apachewah670ZJ233:
    212311710ZJ964: Stored at Bristow Redhill. Under contract to AAC. Left Redhill 4 Dec 2003 for Belize by ship. Operates with 25 Flt AAC i ...
    21231170 0ZJ965: Stored at Bristow Redhill. Under contract to AAC. Left Redhill 18 Sep 2003 for Belize by ship. Operates with 25 Flt AAC ...
    212321341980ZJ966: Stored at Bristow Redhill. Under contract to AAC. Left Redhill 20 Aug 2003 for Belize by ship. Operates with 25 Flt AAC ...

        99 Construction Numbers in this organisation found




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